Business education and financial literacy in Slovakia in 2020
Text: Ing. Gabriela Horecká, SIVE, department of FL SCTF and support of youth direction
photo: Hotel Academy, Liptovský Mikuláš
The State Institute of Vocational Education (SIVE), the Department of Financial Literacy and the Slovak Center of Training Firms (FL SCTF) as a member of the Interdepartmental Expert Group for Financial Literacy in Financial Literacy Education continues to recommend schools to follow the National Financial Literacy Standard and Methodology for Incorporation and application of financial literacy topics in school educational programs of primary schools and secondary schools.
Financial literacy education aims to acquire the competencies necessary for responsible financial behaviour from a lifelong perspective.
The year 2020 was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. We all know that it is at this time that we must behave very disciplined in the safety of ourselves, our loved ones, colleagues, friends.
Many schools were closed for most of the year, and teaching took place online. Companies also switched to home office. This situation required the very rapid strengthening of digital education, innovation, and more effective teaching methods for all types of secondary schools.
This situation showed us how important it is to acquire critical competencies and have entrepreneurial skills to adapt flexibly to the market and changing living conditions. Furthermore, to be able to think critically, to gain insight, not to panic. The key competences of young people that help develop their potential in employment or entrepreneurship certainly include financial literacy, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation.
To support business, economic and financial education, all secondary schools are encouraged to participate in the following programs:
a) training company through SIVE - www.siov.sk and www.sccf.sk
b) teaching the subject applied economics - www.ae.jaslovensko.sk
The training company is an optional professional subject, which has a specific position in vocational subjects. The training company is a bridge between theory and practice. It mainly uses the method of simulation and learning by work known as "learning by doing". Simulation of real practice provides excellent preparation for future work, whether in employment or business. In recent years, about 600 training companies "work" every year in secondary schools. Each has an average of 15 students.
The training companies' network in each country is managed by the national training company headquarters, which simulates state administration bodies for training companies. The Slovak Center of Training Companies provides these activities in Slovakia (since January 1 2019, the Department of Financial Literacy and SCTF), a specialised workplace of SIVE. The activities of the SCTF, whose activities include, in addition to national and international cooperation, are a practical part of the vocational education of secondary school students in the field of business education and financial literacy.
This year, the COVID-19 pandemic department, with the active participation and cooperation with teachers and graduates of training companies, published the publication "Examples of good practice of graduates of training companies - More than 20 years of experience in business education in secondary schools". During the year, the department published materials to support financial literacy and business education for teachers and students at www.siov.sk. These are also used in e-learning.
Contract days and regional fairs of training companies 2020 in Slovakia
Contract days and regional fairs of training companies (from now on TC) allow students to check, consolidate but also acquire business skills and improve financial literacy practically and playfully.
The subject of the business of training companies presenting at the event this year were confectionery, coffee, drinks, adrenaline sports, gardening and flower supplies, planet protection - waste utilization, wedding salon, catering, beauty services, travel agencies, sound equipment, library equipment as assistance for the blind and the like.
Fairs and contracting days always include TC competitions in categories such as catalogue, stand, logo, slogan, business plan, electronic presentations and, most recently, "90 seconds in an elevator". The winners of individual categories advance to the International Fair of Training Companies of Slovakia, from which is a step to participate in fairs abroad.
International Online Fair of Training Companies of Slovakia 2020
At the time of the ongoing pandemic, COVID-19 SIVE prepared the International Fair of Training Companies 2020 online for the first time in history. It took place from 10 to November 12 2020. Other co-organisers of the online fair were the University of Economics in Bratislava and selected schools.
A total of 60 training companies, 43 from all over Slovakia, 17 from abroad, from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Austria, Slovenia and Spain, have registered for the International Online Fair of Training Companies 2020.
During all three days of the fair, online trading of training companies took place via e-shops and TC e-mail communication. Only trade paid via internet banking was included.
The fair also included TC online competitions in logo, slogan, business card, catalogue, the website with e-shop, electronic presentation and video advertising. On November 10, 2020, jurors evaluated them from the University of Economics in Bratislava, the Slovak Business Agency, the Association of Young Entrepreneurs of Slovakia, the Metropolitan University of Prague, the National Pedagogical Institute of the Czech Republic and the SCCF.
The final of the seven advancing training companies in the E-presentation category took place live on November 11, 2020. You can watch it on https://youtu.be/glkWXibJ6sU.
On the third day of the International Online Fair of Training Companies, on November 12, 2020, announced all TC competitions results, which you can find at www.sccf.sk, on this day a conference was held.
International Fair of Training Companies Olomouc 2020 (Czech Republic)
On January 28-29, 2020, the Slovak training company from the Hotel Academy Liptovský Mikuláš - TC Bike family also took part in the international fair of training companies in Olomouc in the premises of the Flora exhibition centre. This TC has prepared an offer in the form of an unconventional cycling holiday in the footsteps of viticulture and winemaking.
In the intense competition of 18 companies from abroad (Russia, Moldova, Romania, Belgium) and over 30 companies from the Czech Republic, the Slovak TC won the absolute victory among foreign companies and six partial awards (first two places in the category of business plan and electronic presentation, three second places in the category of the best seller, catalogue, business card of the company) and one third place in the category of the most beautiful stand).
Ostrava Fair of Fictitious Companies 2020 (Czech Republic)
The 12th year of the Fair of Training Companies took place at the Černá Louka Exhibition Grounds in Ostrava on 19 and 20 February 2020. The Regional Fair in Ostrava welcomed 28 training companies from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. The regional fair was distinguished by the fact that the school organiser also held meetings, seminars and negotiations within the implemented IVF project of the V4 countries. The project output is the establishment of an international training company called CharetEco, p. r. o., which presented itself at the fair. It is a merger of training companies from the V4 countries, in which students from OA Ostrava, OA Košice, OA Stolowa Vola and the Grammar School in Budapest have set up a joint company. A parent company was established in Ostrava and its three subsidiaries. And this is an excellent example of transnational cooperation that brings together students from different countries and supports the development of a business environment at the international level.